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Tag: e-commerce

E-Commerce technologies showcase at IMHX

Posted on by David Priestman

During an era where the only certainty is uncertainty and consumer demands are evolving at a rapid pace, IMHX 2022 will provide logistics and E-commerce fulfilment professionals with an essential opportunity to discover technologies that keep them one step ahead, says IMHX 2022 Event Director, Rob Fisher.

Covid-19 – and the lockdowns introduced in an effort to restrict its spread among the population – changed the way goods are stored, picked and moved to the consumer dramatically, with the switch to online shopping in particular forcing retailers and their logistics partners to radically rethink and rapidly adapt well-established working practices.

The pace of change was breathtaking. Ten years of forecasted E-commerce growth occurred during the first month of the first national lockdown in 2020, and between February and October of 2021 the value of online sales in total retail sales grew from 19.6% to 28.5%.

The logistics sector’s ability to scale-up and adapt its services in response to such massive and rapid changes in consumer spending patterns was hugely impressive and without the expertise and dedication of the industry there can be little doubt that the public would have found the restrictive lockdown conditions even more difficult to live with.

For warehouse or distribution centre operators the need to keep pace with the shift away from bulk deliveries to retail stores towards the fulfilment of individual online orders directly to the consumer has necessitated significant adjustments across all aspects of the warehouse operation.

For instance, the E-commerce boom prompted many storage operations to reconsider their order picking methodologies. In particular, the space constraints generated by the need to hold more SKUs and the shorter pick times and quicker throughput rates needed to meet the delivery expectations of internet shoppers meant that storage solutions had to be rethought to make the most of the people and (in the majority of cases) limited space available.

A plethora of systems and solutions specifically developed to meet the distinct needs of online retailers and their fulfilment operations will be under the spotlight at the forthcoming IMHX 2022 (6-8 September, NEC, Birmingham).

Narrow Aisle Ltd, for example, will demonstrate the benefits of the Easi-Pick, a compact ride-on electric-powered vertical order picker designed specifically with e-fulfilment operations in mind.

The Easi-Pick delivers hugely improved productivity and increased safety for warehouse staff as they carry out a range of picking duties at both lower levels and at height within warehouse aisles. Its ability to work in very narrow aisles (VNA) means 30% more pallet and shelving locations can be designed into storage systems compared to traditional wide aisle operations.

Meanwhile, a range of storage and picking technology ideal for equipping ‘dark stores’ – the new breed of micro-fulfilment centres that are widely regarded as one of the most exciting online retail developments to emerge from the pandemic, will be highlighted by Bito Storage Systems.

Dark stores require shelving, pick and pack desks, picking trolleys, plastic containers, labelling, cupboards and lockers and having a one stop supplier is an important consideration for any micro fulfilment company that does not want to spend valuable time contacting a multitude of different providers. Dark store operators will be able to find everything they need on Bito Storage Systems’ stand.

Of course, the internet shopping boom has resulted in a substantial and sustained hike in the amount of cardboard required by internet traders to construct the boxes that protect their E-commerce orders in transit. Indeed, an estimated five billion corrugated boxes are used in the UK alone each year, so it is important that online retailers and their fulfilment partners – who are among the biggest users of cardboard packaging material – embrace a commitment to sustainable and more eco-friendly packaging, not just as a key component of their corporate social responsibility efforts, but as a way of optimising both operational and financial efficiency and driving supply chain performance.

A simple way for internet retailers and the logistics companies who fulfil orders on their behalf to slash the volume of cardboard that they use across their business is to ensure that, when goods are being packed prior to leaving the warehouse, they are put into an appropriately sized cardboard box

Sparck Technologies (formerly Packaging by Quadient) will use IMHX to demonstrate its eco-conscious packaging technology that creates fit-to-size boxes for every consignment quickly and efficiently. For example, Sparck’s CVP Impack automated packaging solution can pack up to 500 parcels per hour and requires only one operator while the CVP Everest model packs up to 1,100 parcels per hour with two operators.

Narrow Aisle, Bito and Sparck are just three of literally hundreds of exhibiting companies who will ensure that logistics and E-commerce fulfilment professionals leave IMHX 2022 having seen the very latest technological advancements that will enable them to meet the expectations of today’s increasingly demanding online shoppers.

ORBIS showcases sustainable packaging at FachPack

Posted on by David Priestman

At this year’s FachPack, ORBIS Europe is presenting sustainable and durable transport packaging solutions for different industries (September 27th-29th in Nuremberg, hall 6, booth 316). That includes PlastiCorr, the first reusable brown box replacement for automated packaging lines as well as plastic pallets in a new design for the food and beverage industry. More show highlights are the UN-certified dangerous goods boxes IonPak (pictured) and foldable large containers (FLCs) such as the GitterPak and XXLPaks for automotive and industrial applications.

“Sustainability has become an important part of today’s supply chains. Reusable transport packaging follows the circular economy concept – in manufacturing, use and recycling. By making the switch to reusables, companies can reduce their environmental impact significantly. We will highlight all that at our FachPack booth,” says Christian Hemming, Technical Director EMEA at ORBIS Europe.

The PlastiCorr reusable plastic box is a direct replacement for corrugated fibre boxes with identical functionality and enhanced features. This sustainable solution works seamlessly with existing automated packaging lines and is ideal for food, beverage and FMCG applications. When compared to conventional single-use boxes, the patented design of PlastiCorr allows the plastic boxes to be reused over 70 times. In that way, companies reduce water and energy consumption, the amount of solid waste as well long-term costs.

Security and cleanliness with plastic pallets

In the area of food and beverage transportation, ORBIS showcases two of its reusable plastic pallets in a new design: the German Pallet (1180 x 1265 mm) and the Spanish Pallet (1120 x 1420 mm). Both are designed to convey rigid packaging, such as glass and plastic bottles or aluminium and steel cans in a secure way.

The new flow-through hygienic design allows for improved automated and manual washing. At the same time, the pallets’ two-piece snap-fit design with double wall thickness pallets blocks makes them more durable to handling impacts. These pallets can be combined with layer pads and top frames to create secure, stable unit loads for transport.

The dangerous goods container IonPak is UN-approved to transport solid dangerous goods (Packing Group II), such as lithium-ion batteries, and certified in accordance with RID/ADR (UN4H2/UN50H). The customised packaging consists of a robust foldable large container with European standard footprints (1200 x 800 / 1200 x 1000 / 1600 x 1200 mm) and a custom inner packaging solution optimised to protect dangerous goods. At the booth, ORBIS will feature a customer version of the IonPak.

For use in automotive and other manufacturing industries, ORBIS is showcasing the foldable large containers (FLC) GitterPak and XXLPaks. With a 900kg weight capacity and a European standard footprint of 1200 x 800 mm, the GitterPak is a sustainable, rust-free and foldable alternative to steel gitterboxes. The robust wall design allows for secure stacking of containers (1+5 static, 1+2 dynamic).

The XXLPak containers in extended length are designed to transport even long and hard-to-fit components. The inch footprints are compatible with European standard footprints (approx. 1600 x 1200 mm / 2000 x 1200 mm). All FLCs are manufactured from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) using a structural foam-moulding process for increased durability.

Dangers of cyberattacks in digital commerce

Posted on by Keith McKinley

For E-commerce sites, hackers and cyberattacks will always be a risk to the job. For thieves and their technical know-how, E-commerce sites are gold mines of personal and financial data. In addition to this, for businesses of all sizes, the cost of a breach both in loss of data and customer trust can be hugely damaging. Yoav Kutner, Co-Founder and CEO of Oro Inc, explains why E-commerce business owners need to remain vigilant.

E-commerce business owners are all too aware of these issues and are increasing their security measures. The VMWare Carbon Black 2020 Cybersecurity Outlook Report found that 77% of businesses surveyed had purchased new security products in the last year and 69% had increased security staff.

Cybersecurity is essential for E-commerce, as it is the combination of people, policies, processes, and technologies employed to protect its cyber assets.  Cyber attacks result in loss of revenue, data and overall viability for businesses. For online sellers especially, it is not just their physical computer systems which are at risk of E-commerce security breaches, but also their software, networks, and infrastructure.

Are there different types of cyberattacks? The answer is yes – which is why it’s more important than ever to have security measures in place. Here are three of the most common attacks to be aware of.

DoS attack

A denial-of-service (DoS) attack is designed to overwhelm the resources of a system to the point where it is unable to reply to legitimate service requests. A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack is similar in that it also seeks to drain the resources of a system. A DDoS attack is initiated by a vast array of malware-infected host machines controlled by the attacker. These are referred to as “denial of service” attacks because the victim site is unable to provide service to those who want to access it.

With a DoS attack, the target site gets flooded with illegitimate requests. Because the site has to respond to each request, its resources get consumed by all the responses. This makes it impossible for the site to serve users as it normally does and often results in a complete shutdown of the site.

MITM Attacks

Man-in-the-middle (MITM) types of cyber attacks refer to breaches in cybersecurity that make it possible for an attacker to eavesdrop on the data sent back and forth between two people, networks, or computers. It is called a “man in the middle” attack because the attacker positions themselves in the “middle” or between the two parties trying to communicate. In effect, the attacker is spying on the interaction between the two parties.

In a MITM attack, the two parties involved feel like they are communicating as they normally do. What they do not know is that the person actually sending the message illicitly modifies or accesses the message before it reaches its destination. Some ways to protect yourself and your organisation from MITM attacks are by using strong encryption on access points or using a virtual private network (VPN).

Whale-phishing Attacks

A whale-phishing attack is so-named because it goes after the “big fish” or whales of an organisation, which typically include those in the C-suite or others in charge of the organisation. These individuals are likely to possess information that can be valuable to attackers, such as proprietary information about the business or its operations.

If a targeted “whale” downloads ransomware, they are more likely to pay the ransom to prevent news of the successful attack from getting out and damaging their reputation or that of the organisation. Whale-phishing attacks can be prevented by taking the same kinds of precautions to avoid phishing attacks, such as carefully examining emails and the attachments and links that come with them and keeping an eye out for suspicious destinations or parameters.

When it comes to security, Oro is the optimal choice – it allows you to focus on growing your B2B E-commerce business safely and worry-free. Oro applications are built from the ground up to support sizable B2B enterprises and complex, multi-level organisational hierarchies with thousands of employees and millions of website customers.

Pitney Bowes sending technology generates 25% savings

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Pitney Bowes Inc., a global shipping and mailing company that provides technology, logistics, and financial services, has launched its next-generation franking machine, SendPro Mailstation, in the UK. Already a best seller in the US due to its ease-of-use and compact size, SendPro Mailstation is perfect for organisations looking to drive down costs and simplify their sending.

For UK businesses, SendPro Mailstation generates savings of up to 25% on postage and, if choosing to have ink supplied by popular Pitney Bowes service AutoInk, up to 70% on ink. The integrated 4.3” full-colour touchscreen helps users print postage from the device directly onto their envelopes or labels.

Businesses enjoy the user experience and easy set-up, also valuing access to postage discounts. Monica Mistry from FirstFord Ltd said: “We found SendPro Mailstation quick and easy to install – we were connected and printing postage on our first letters within just a few minutes. The intuitive prompts on the touchscreen make it very straightforward to select the right postage. Now, our clients receive their communications in a timely, professional way and we’re saving time and money.”

Sian Evans from Excel Engineering stated: “There are so many different postal rates it can be complicated and expensive to send mail and parcels. SendPro Mailstation makes it simple. Because it connects using wifi we know the rates are always 100% accurate and we are up-to-date, and it saves us money, too. It makes life a little bit easier for us as a small business.”

Debbie Anderson from Roger Budge Electrical Engineers, said: “Printed mail is a critical communications channel for us: we regularly send out contracts, invoices, installation and maintenance reports and customer letters through the post, but the costs can really add up. SendPro Mailstation helps us keep these costs down by giving us access to savings. It’s intuitive and straightforward to use, and it makes us more efficient and productive, freeing up our time to focus on growing the business.”

Ryan Higginson, Vice President and UK/ROI Country Leader, Pitney Bowes said: “SendPro Mailstation is a game-changer for UK businesses looking to save money but not compromise on feature-rich office sending technology. With over 100 years’ experience, serving 750,000 businesses and facilitating the sending of billions of mail pieces across the world, Pitney Bowes has an unrivalled perspective into mailing and shipping. Inspired by our customers and driven by this insight, our talented design team brought this innovation to life. We’re delighted that UK organisations can experience SendPro Mailstation for themselves.”

The latest in its award-winning family of SendPro technologies, SaaS-based SendPro Mailstation comes with a subscription to companion application SendPro Online. Ideal for businesses shipping parcels, SendPro Online extends SendPro Mailstation’s functionality by providing insight such as proof of delivery and parcel tracking.

With UK parcel volume expected to reach between 7.5 and 8.5 billion in 2026, SendPro Online delivers savings of up to 75% on parcel shipping through Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide. Complementary to SendPro Mailstation, SendPro Online also offers insight on ink status, wireless connection strength, postal balance and spend history, as well as the ability to print return address labels. Together, the solutions give businesses a complete picture of mailing and shipping status and spend, in real-time, while generating significant cost savings.

SendPro Mailstation’s sophisticated functionality, intuitive features and business benefits, all specifically designed to improve office sending, include:

  • Access to the most up-to-date postage rates and automated rate update, eliminating the need for trips to the Post Office
  • Pay the lowest postage prices with Mailmark
  • Intuitive, easy to use, full-colour 4.3 inch/11 cm touchscreen
  • Proactive support through touchscreen notifications and how-to guides.
  • Repairs and replacements included with franking ink as standard
  • Presets to accelerate mail processing
  • Built-in scale to weigh all mailings, ensuring the correct postage every time
  • Compact and quiet, suitable for workplaces of all sizes
  • Improved planning and predictability of ink costs with AutoInk

One of the most popular sending technologies ever launched by Pitney Bowes in the US, SaaS-based SendPro Mailstation was named a finalist for the 2020 SaaS Awards and has received a Bronze IDA Design Award.

CLICK HERE to watch a video.

Faster fashion fulfilment

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Challenged by poor labour availability, how will fashion fulfilment cope with a return of footfall to the UK high street and growing omni-channel sales? Darcy de Thierry, Managing Director of Ferag UK, believes advanced pouch sorter technology holds the answer.

Successful fashion retailing is all about maximising margin, growing sales volume and getting faster throughput. But for the last two years, omni-channel businesses have, by necessity, had to rely on their ecommerce channels for survival. The strain on fulfilment centres has been enormous, particularly as ‘single’ and ‘few’ item picking and packing operations are traditionally highly labour intensive activities – and labour has become a scarce and costly resource, leading to concerns over performance during critical peak periods.

Now that consumers are returning to the high street, how can businesses re-balance their fulfilment operations to cope with growth and higher throughput across all channels, and at the same time contain costs to maximise margins?

In addition to the challenges of finding labour, the National Living Wage is set to rise from £8.91 to £9.50 per hour in April 2022, coinciding with a hike in National Insurance of 1.25p in the pound for both employers and employees.

With operational costs rising and fewer people available to carry out manual picking operations, many retail fashion businesses are turning to the use of automation to boost the productivity of their labour force. Automation applied to the right processes can free up people for tasks that require human ingenuity, judgement and manual dexterity – tasks such as packing and inspecting returns.

Advanced technology

An innovative technology helping to transform operational performance in the fulfilment centre, freeing-up human resources for value-adding activities, is the pouch sorter. Overhead pouch sortation systems offer a flexible and highly scalable, conveying, sorting and dynamic buffering solution appropriate for both fulfilling ecommerce orders and assembling store friendly sequenced replenishment. One pouch system is capable of sorting and processing many thousands of orders an hour, with each pouch able to carry both hanging garments and flat items, such as shoes and flat pack goods, enabling fast order fulfilment from a single pool of inventory.

Creating a single pool of inventory from which store replenishment and ecommerce orders are served offers significant financial and operational benefits. Efficiencies in accessing available stock, greater flexibility in allocating stock to maximise sales and faster processing times for preparing orders, are just some of the key advantages.

In particular, pouch technology lends itself to ecommerce operations, allowing for greater wave picking efficiency, with late order cut-offs of around 10pm for a promise of delivery to the customer first-thing the next day. The speed and reliability of Skyfall, Ferag’s ultra-fast automated pouch sorter solution, enables the retailer to gain greater operational efficiencies by accumulating orders in advance of a final pick-wave at 10pm. With processing speeds of up to 25,000 units per hour orders can be picked, sorted, packed and dispatched within the shortest time window, giving fashion brands the keen competitive edge of a late cut-off with an early next day delivery.

For consumers fast, reliable fulfilment and delivery is often a decisive factor when purchasing a fashion item and a positive experience is likely to result in repeat sales and recommendations on social media. However, a late delivery of a party dress has the potential to cause great distress and may lead to negative reviews, with the loss of future sales, so a reliable fulfilment process is essential. Of course, pick accuracy is important too, as a mispicked item is likely to be disappointing for the customer, as well as costly to the business. However, automation enables exceptionally high pick accuracy.

Store friendly sequencing

As stated earlier, the same high-speed Skyfall pouch sorter system used for fulfilling ecommerce orders can also be deployed to create store friendly sequenced consignments for high-street shops – pulling from the same, pooled inventory. The benefit of sequencing product for a particular store’s layout is that the shop assistant assigned to replenishing shelves and rails is able to perform the task quickly and efficiently, freeing them to spend more time with customers – potentially, to secure more sales.

An obvious advantage of a high-speed pouch solution, such as Ferag’s Skyfall, is that it uses available overhead space – the third dimension of the building – keeping floor areas free for pedestrians and other processes. What’s more, pouch systems are a highly cost-effective alternative to other forms of goods-to-person automation, like multi-shuttle and mini-load solutions, that can cost up to 30% more. Then there is the core benefit that the Skyfall overhead pouch system undertakes high-speed sorting, conveying and buffering processes too, which with Ferag’s modular conveyor technology allows for tremendous flexibility and scalability. And as the pouch has the ability to carry flat items, such as shoes, and flat pack goods along with hanging items, there is no need to have a separate cross-belt sorter for flat items, with all the issues associated with bringing flat and hanging items together.

Leaders in fashion

A number of leading fashion brands are taking advantage of pouch sorter technology to increase capacity and boost performance of their fulfilment operations. Ferag has recently installed a flexible high-speed Skyfall system at a new distribution centre for children’s fashion company, Mayoral Group, in Malaga, Spain. The extensive overhead pouch solution is one of the largest to date, with a mix of hanging pouches and garment hangers totalling more than 58,000 Skyfall hangers, and a throughput of up to 12,000 units per hour. The system features fully automatic unloading of pouches, including flat goods.

Ferag has developed an advanced automated induction process where pouches automatically open at an induction station, the operator scans a product, passes it down a chute and it drops into the awaiting pouch. The process is fast and efficient.

Similarly, Ferag has also introduced auto-unloading technology with three levels of performance depending upon product characteristics and gentle handling requirements. Contingent on the items, between 1500 and 2200 orders per hour can be automatically unloaded from pouches at packing stations. Driving performance, the rate at which orders are presented at the packing station can determine the pace of packing.

Interestingly, when comparing traditional goods-to-person operations, where you may have six to twelve open orders at the packing station, with a pouch system there can be a hundred or more open orders, simply by keeping them in a dynamic buffer near to the packing station. Items can quickly be called from the buffer as required, providing greater flexibility and speed.

Faster returns

When it comes to the fast processing of returns, overhead dynamic buffers can offer a cutting-edge solution to removing the time, cost and effort of placing returned items back into stock. Manually sorting and placing items back into stock is a very time consuming and costly process, but now it can be avoided. For high-demand fashion products, keeping returned items in a buffer close to the packing area enables a quick and efficient re-despatch of the item. In fact, some retailers anticipate and predict levels of returns, allowing them to re-sell items even before they are returned to the warehouse. Such techniques help boost sales and increase margins.

Of course, reliability is absolutely critical for any automated system. Failure to perform at peak or during critical promotional periods can result in unfulfilled SLAs and dissatisfied customers, which in turn may damage both sales and, importantly, brand. Businesses looking to invest in overhead pouch sortation systems should look very carefully at the quality of the engineering, materials and components used. Only ultra-low friction components should be considered and plastic chains should be avoided. Good design and sound engineering bring long-lasting rewards.

Ferag’s Swiss-engineered pouch sorter technology was originally developed for some of the most testing of handling applications, the international print industry, where super-fast overhead conveyors are required to offer ultra-reliable performance on daily newspaper production runs in the millions. The same materials, technology and design expertise has been successfully applied by Ferag within the intralogistics sector, bringing reliable, high-performance conveying at speeds of up to 25,000 units per hour to fashion businesses the world over.

 

Pregis opens European packaging innovation centre

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Pregis, a leading global manufacturer of protective packaging, has invested in a new 1,960 sq m (21,000 sq ft) customer experience facility in Europe designed to provide a holistic solutions approach to protective packaging challenges and reduce costly waste incurred by damaged products.

The new Pregis innovation headquarters, called the Pregis IQ, is located in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. It will open in April as a customer demonstration and training facility designed to optimise packaging methods.

“Our objective is to provide value-added services to assist brand owners in selecting protective packaging materials and systems that will reduce total cost, achieve sustainability goals and improve packing efficiency to help address labour challenges,” said Paul van Dijk, Marketing & IQ Director, Pregis Europe. “Pregis has always prided itself in being a material-neutral supplier focused on protecting what’s important to our customers. Our broad material and equipment expertise puts us in an ideal position to recommend a solution that is truly in the brand owner’s best interest.”

As companies and brand owners are faced with challenges that range from limited space, labour constraints, increased demand and desire to package with sustainable materials, Pregis says it is able to demonstrate and offer customer centric system-based solutions approach. At the Pregis IQ, visitors can see how protecting products from damage, minimising material usage, improving operational efficiency, creating a positive ergonomic environment for workers and joyful unboxing experience for customers is all possible with the right partner.

“The shift toward e-commerce growth means expanding order mix, greater complexity and more packaging diversity,” van Dijk said. “Labour and seasonality also impact fulfilment operations’ ability to meet orders, complicating packaging and leading to increased damages. Further, network shipping constraints, coupled with increasing costs, are expected to continue. This means to achieve customer loyalty more customisation and unique solutions will be required to adequately compete.

“By engaging the Pregis IQ services, we can take all of these factors into account and recommend the most environmentally preferred option that integrates into a customer’s operations while delivering measurable benefits.”

The European Pregis IQ is in addition to Pregis’ US-based IQ which has been operational since 2019. The expansion will help Pregis unify its consultative approach across North America and Europe.

 

eCommerce packaging with the ‘wow’ factor

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Smurfit Kappa says it aims to find the perfect packaging solutions for all kinds of businesses, no matter how big or small. From major brands to innovative start-ups, it offers customers support, creativity, and inventiveness to help create a packaging solution that meets their every need, which was the case when MESSIAH and EVE came to Smurfit Kappa Beacon for help with its DTC shipping packaging.

MESSIAH and EVE is a new multi-award winning vegan body care brand specialising in elevated fine fragrance body care essentials. It sells a range of body-dedicated creams and cleansers, hand wash and bath oil. As an eCommerce retailer, packaging is one of the most important parts of its product range.

Its products are purposefully and intentionally crafted to have a positive impact on the skin, the planet, and the communities within it. MESSIAH and EVE says it is committed to a journey of consideration in everything it does, and its packaging is no exception. It approached the Smurfit Kappa Beacon team hoping to find a supplier who could assist it in creating packaging which could safely ship its eCommerce orders and speed up its fulfilment production line, while also fitting with its company ethos.

Smurfit Kappa took on the challenge of producing the perfect packaging solutions for MESSIAH and EVE products, with the goal of creating sustainable eCommerce packaging which would ‘wow’ its customers and create a memorable unboxing experience. Not only that, but it was conscious of the speed of packing and ease of opening for their consumers. It needed packaging which would be super-easy to seal during the packing process and double as suitable gift packaging should its  customers be gifting orders.

One of the biggest challenges Smurfit Kappa faced when it started working on this project for MESSIAH and EVE was the sustainability element of the packaging. It knew this was a key focus for the brand, so it just had to get it right, but in a way that would not compromise on quality or customer experience. Smurfit Kappa considered the option of using 100% recycled board, but soon realised this would not be suitable with the high-end print design and self-seal tape to speed up the packing process.

Smurfit Kappa opted for a more premium board grade which was still sustainable while also offering a super high-print finish. The end packaging solution looked the part while also being FSC Mix and 100% recyclable: fitting hand -in-hand with its brand ethos. As well as being easily recyclable through household recycling channels, the MESSIAH and EVE packaging delivered the ‘wow’ factor during unboxing and perfectly encapsulated the luxury of the products inside.

As fast fulfilment packing was a priority for MESSIAH and EVE, Smurfit Kappa incorporated self-seal tape which allowed for a quick production line and created a secure postal solution for its products. The tape and rippa opening design offers a more modern experience than some of the other considered options, and creates an unboxing experience similar to other high-end eCommerce packs from worldwide brands. Self-seal tape is very simple for customers to open when their new items arrive on their doorstep and makes it easier for consumers to return products using the existing packaging. This reduces the amount of waste material, giving the packaging another purpose.

The finished product ticked all of MESSIAH and EVE’s boxes, and Smurfit Kappa says it delivered packaging which was not only a functional option but also a key marketing tool for the eCommerce brand.

Sitma’s e-commerce wrapper for different materials

Posted on by David Priestman

E-Wrap, Sitma‘s new e-commerce wrapper, will be on display at Ipack-IMA, from 3rd to 6th May 2022, in Hall 6P – Stand B01 C02. The machine in question will be the “paper wrapping” version, specifically designed for the world of e-commerce and logistics. It was developed by Sitma Machinery, an Italian company with over 50 years’ experience in the field, and now a leading producer of automated equipment for logistics and packaging.

Paper E-Wrap fits perfectly within Sitma’s range of automatic and semi-automatic paper packaging machines. These include the Fast Pack machine, a workhorse for high-speed packaging in the e-commerce sector, and the 8002 model, specially designed for Frozen Food. The new Paper E-Wrap machine has all the typical features of Sitma solutions in terms of compactness, ease of use, flexibility and reliability.

E-Wrap is designed to meet the need for speedy and efficient management that the logistics sector for e-commerce demands. The unit can be easily integrated into different production settings and combined with units for labelling and weighing, as well as an advanced tracking system.

E-Wrap can also be used for the automatic management of printing systems, and for inserting documents into the package. Indeed, the machine has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the e-commerce sector in terms of documents and promotional material (invoices, delivery notes, return labels, coupons, leaflets, etc.).

The machine can both be physically integrated into hubs with different layouts, and also connected up in terms of software. Indeed, E-Wrap can coordinate with the complex IT systems that control modern logistics centres, which need to manage huge amounts of data in relation to tracking products in the supply chain. E-Wrap is especially flexible in terms of packaging: it is in fact the first machine able to create either envelopes or packs to fit the three-dimensional form of the object(s) being packaged.

The unit on display in Milan has two winning features: not only can it “read” three-dimensional objects and create customised packaging, it can also make use of heat-sealable paper, a feature that makes it a truly green machine.

“Paper wrapping” is one of the most important frontiers for sustainable packaging; because if paper is produced in specific ways, it can be repeatedly recycled, reducing the environmental impact of the system. However, E-Wrap goes even further, as it can make use of heat-sealing paper that does not require an extra adhesive system: an aspect that helps simplify not only the management of the process but also the maintenance of the machine.

Navigating the supply chain crisis

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Factors out of our control have sent the supply chain into crisis. Yoav Kutner, CEO of Oro Inc., discusses why supply chain issues occur and how businesses can use technology to overcome the hurdle.

The Covid-19 pandemic plunged our supply chains into unprecedented chaos, they were severely interrupted and businesses are still suffering from the instability – who could forget about the Ever Given ship that blocked the Suez Canal in 2021?

Supply chain problems dominate the news these days. Just recently, the shortage of truck drivers in the UK has been a hot topic of conversation with a Road Haulage Association (RHA) survey estimating that there is now a shortage of more than 100,000 qualified drivers in the UK. This lack of drivers means supplies and products can’t be delivered and subsequently has a knock on effect to other businesses.

A notable supply chain issue includes the launch of the twin-engined Boeing 787 in 2007 which vowed to set a production time record – it’s safe to say this did not happen. The first phase of construction was held up by the smallest of issues – some were minuscule like running out of fasteners and Boeing even resorted to buying more at Home Depot. The plane was launched years later than planned with a plethora of hiccups to blame. Although this example explores supply chain issues within a grand scale company, this drawback had a detrimental effect on smaller businesses too.

So what exactly is causing today’s global supply chain issues? For one thing, the pandemic was a huge factor in slowing the supply chain right down. At the height of Coronavirus, many manufacturers shut down or reduced operations significantly. However, returning operations to ‘normality’ has been more difficult than expected.

Rising and falling infection rates impact various parts of the world differently. For example, China requires a rapid shutdown of factories and shipping centres at the first sign of infections. China’s actions create a domino effect on manufacturers and shippers in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Vietnam. These countries serve as an essential source of apparel, consumer goods, and computer chips for cars and electronics.

Increased demand is also to blame for the supply chain crisis. Consumers have gone out less and thus spent less during lockdowns. Combined with government checks, this has led to pent-up demand. Since restrictions have eased, there has been an influx of demand at once, that has amounted to trillions of dollars in spending in a relatively short amount of time, straining producers. As well as resulting in more orders, this demand has led to more frequent out-of-stocks, delays and rising prices.

Manufacturers have also been cutting costs in the face of the pandemic, trimming inventories to match demand. Now, faced with shortages, they are ordering extra supplies, increasing the strain on our distribution systems.

These are just a few examples of how a domino effect can greatly alter the supply chain. However, hope is not all lost as technology is on hand to help businesses of all sizes cope with potential supply chain issues and make a stronger, more resilient business. B2B businesses must continually monitor supply chains, spot upcoming disruptions on the horizon, and keep customers informed every step of the way.

Supply chain monitoring tools are a must for manufacturers, warehouses, and logistics companies. For example, companies should integrate data between business systems such as a B2B eCommerce platform, CRM, BI, and ERP. Integrated systems provide customers with insights into your supply chain before they place their orders. And with increased information flows, businesses can make informed decisions and apprise customers of their order status.

Visibility and agility are great, but businesses need the ability to act according to changing circumstances. Whether it’s quickly growing suppliers, boosting communications, making contingency plans, or expanding operations – it all requires a stable foundation.

A strong B2B eCommerce presence gives businesses greater manoeuvrability in the face of delays and disruptions than would be possible with brick-and-mortar infrastructure. Brands can adequately respond to demands, grow their stores, launch new ones, or roll out to additional regions. It also helps them grow when things do get back on track.

As our lives get busier, we often forget the importance of a simple personal follow-up. Reaching back to clients after a long period of time might also serve to remind them that your product or service is still available and that your customer service is outstanding. In some cases, following up with an old customer may prompt them to make another purchase or provide a word-of-mouth recommendation to someone else.

Just don’t forget about the back office. As supply chain situations develop, it’s important to distribute crucial information across all segments of operations. This way, your company will be better prepared in case a sudden supply chain crisis develops in the future.

Sitma returns to live events at Ipack Ima

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Four years since the last edition and after two years with no live shows, Sitma is back at Ipack Ima 2022, focusing on e-commerce packaging and introducing its latest innovation, e-Wrap Paper.

Ipack Ima, a partner of Intralogistica Italia, is the starting point in the road map of in-person events confirmed for 2022 by Sitma. This will be followed by LogiMAT in Germany and Logis Tech in Japan. The theme of the shows will be automatic e-commerce packaging solutions, which have become a crucial asset for increasing not only efficiency, but also the sustainability of managing online orders.

Paper wrapping

Sitma, an international company that is completely made in Italy and a leader in the design and production of automation systems for packaging and logistics, presents an exclusive preview of the latest evolution of e-Wrap at the main Italian event entirely dedicated to packaging, with an all-round approach that ranges from logistics to printing, from technology to materials.

E-Wrap paper is specifically designed for the e-commerce sector, combining efficiency and ease of use, flexibility and sustainability. Customisable to different production requirements, the features of E-wrap paper enable it to be used for packaging goods in sectors as diverse as fashion and footwear, books and media, and consumer electronics, while fulfilling the eco-sustainable requirements that this world increasingly demands.

Customer-orientated portfolio

Operating in the e-commerce logistics sector for several years now, Sitma boasts numerous public and private companies in Europe and overseas that use the packaging and sorting solutions included in its product portfolio. The key to designing new solutions is to listen carefully to the needs of the end users and to diversify one’s own product range according to the requirements of the various logistics operators active in this constantly evolving market.

All the packaging solutions engineered by Sitma stand out mainly for their flexibility and reliability, being able to work at different speeds and allowing packages of variable formats and sizes to be packaged to suit the contents. The range is comprehensive and includes both stand-alone solutions and complete lines with automatic product feeding: a full portfolio of machines of different levels of complexity and cost, all supported by an advanced software component.

Sitma will be present at Ipack-IMA, from 3rd to 6th May 2022, in Hall 6P – Stand B01 C02

 

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